Four-year-old boy dies after falling 60 FEET from third floor window in a block of flats

Four-year-old boy dies after falling 60 FEET from third floor window in a block of flatsHe plunged from the third floor of a building in Pollokshields, GlasgowRushed to hospital but police said he died a short time after arrivingStrathclyde Police have launched an investigation into cause of the fall

By
Matt Blake

PUBLISHED:

16:53 GMT, 8 March 2013

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UPDATED:

20:50 GMT, 8 March 2013

A four-year-old boy has died after falling from the top-floor window of a block of flats, police said.

The child plunged from the third floor of a building in Pollokshields, Glasgow, at about 10.20am.

He was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Yorkhill but Strathclyde Police said he died a short time after arriving.

Tragic: The child plunged from the third floor of a building in Pollokshields, Glasgow, at about 10.20am

Police officers and a forensic team where seen examining a window at the block of flats in Glasgow

Residents near the block of flats in Pollokshields spoke of their shock at the child's death

Neighbour Alan McCann, 44, spoke of the horrifying moment he discovered the boy lying on the ground haven fallen from the top-floor window.

He said: 'I was walking nearby and I heard one of my neighbours, who saw it happen, screaming. I ran round to the front of the building and I saw the wee man lying there.

'I put him in the recovery position and phoned the ambulance straight away. I waited with the boy for ten minutes.

'I was rubbing his hands and his ears but he was in a bad way. I put a blanket over him. The paramedics were talking to me on the phone and told me to check his breathing but I didn't want to touch his wee body.

'My neighbour, is too upset to speak. I can't get it out of my head now. It's a tragic day. God bless him. He was only four years old. It's absolutely tragic.'

Karen Cowan, 52, who lives across the street from the block of flats, said: 'I heard about it this morning.

'I see his mum walking to the shops now and again. I can't imagine what she is going through. It's shocking.'

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: 'He had no chance falling from the top floor. It's terrible.

'A few years ago another wee boy fell out of a window in the same block but around the back. He pulled through but he only fell from the second floor.'

Strathclyde police is investigating the incident, which happened in St Andrew's Drive. A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.

Norman MacLeod, SNP councillor for the Pollokshields ward, said: 'This is distressing news of a young boy in my ward, of only four years of age, having lost his life this morning, apparently after falling from a window.

Open window: An open window, through which the boy is believed to have fallen, can clearly be seen from the street below

'Clearly the proper authorities will require to undertake a full investigation into all the circumstances surrounding this incident but, in the meantime, I hasten to extend my most profound and heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the family, friends and relatives of the youngster whose life so tragically has been lost.

'They all will be in my prayers at this most sad time.'

Scottish Conservative councillor for the area, David Meikle, said: 'I'm shocked and saddened to hear about the tragic death of a young boy falling from a block of flats in Pollokshields.

'My thoughts go out to the family who have lost a child.

'There needs to be a full investigation into this incident so we can get to the bottom of what happened and ensure nothing like this happens again.'